Hidden Potential
by Bella4evr3
Summary: DAYS (AU) - Tsukushi was actually the decent forward. Well not decent but a boy prodigy in the world of soccer. So what happened? Well after his mother gets in a car accident making her paralyzed from the waist down Tsukushi has to give up that dream of going pro. What would happen when he meets the Seiseki soccer team and he hid his talents?
1. Chapter 1

My breathing went ragged. My legs felt like dead weight and my ears were ringing drowning out the charismatic cheers and shouts of the ever watching and judging crowd.

But everything he was everything he strived to achieve was in this exact moment. The support of his team - his friends...leading them to the top was worth every little excess breathe and every step that raced him towards that goal.

There was only two minutes left with a score of 7-5...Yes. This was what his life was about and he would be damned if he denied his feelings that erupted through out his being when his foot connected to the black and white ball putting all his energy into that kick and striking it passed the goalie and hearing that pleasurable sound when ball hits net.

He defended the ball and passed the ball making an opening as the soccer ball was passed in his direction making that one connection and everything else was instinct.

The feeling of winning was what made him smile and what had made him to what he was in that exact moment. He wouldn't be able to forget. And he wouldn't.

Coming down from the high of winning his team the championship he spotted his mother cheering outwardly and running into him with a loving hug.

"My little Tsukushi I'm very proud of you. " she says endearingly with a smile on her face. She grabs his bag that was on the grass covered ground by his feet, "ready to go?" she adds as he nods looking back at the field once more. Relishing the sweet victory once more and continued his way towards the car.

.

.

.

.

"So that final play was awesome. Your best yet. " he found he loved it when his mom complimented him on his hard work and boasted all about that final play.

How he had prepared for the game and what he wanted to do more than anything. He could hear his mom laugh filling the car with laughter and joy.

This is what he loved after games. Instead of most teams - his post winning party consisted of him, his mom, and a warm pie full of cheese and pepperoni.

However his smile was soon replaced with fear. It's funny how the driver of the car that crashed into us didn't see the red light.

Didn't see us...didn't see the damage he had done. The wreck made the car toss into the unknown. The screams of his mother was the last sound he heard before everything around him became nothing but complete and utter darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

The sounds of birds chirping in the early spring morning had him standing out of bed -stretching and yawning- as the morning hues of the sun peaked through his curtains. It was going to be his first day at a new school.

In a new town. He was going to be that new kid that nobody wanted to befriend.

After the wreck that took his mother's ability to walk and had confined her in a wheel chair permanently he pledged to himself to look after her from that point on.

Which meant regrettably his life and career of becoming a pro was quickly getting dimmer and dimmer.

He didn't want to cause his mother any more pain so he quickly got over his feelings.

It wasn't doing him any good on crying over it his mother's condition couldn't be changed or healed so he shouldn't waste his tears over it.

At least that's what he concluded.

(Break)

"Are you sure? I can skip the main entrance ceremony. They won't even notice me gone."

"I will not let you, Tsukushi. " his mother looked at him with that look that clearly said, "try it and let's see if you survive. "

"Okay. Just be careful. " he worried for her that's all.

He could afford himself the little overprotectiveness over her. She was his mother and no matter what could happen he would always care and watch over her.

(Break)

The morning bell sounded. He looked over the school.

Sighing.

It was now or never.

Entering his first class, finding an empty seat near the back and against the window - he decided to sit himself and wait for the class to begin.

It was introductions the first day anyways. Introductions were made - trying to drown out the voices into the background.

He didn't feel as motivated to do anything -he didn't know what to do with his life in general.

It was a frightening realization without soccer in his life there wasn't anything worth doing.

"Tsukamoto Tsukushi. " he introduced himself.

Yeah, what was there to life besides soccer? Because quite frankly he didn't have an answer. At least not yet.

(Break)

"You're Tsukamoto Tsukushi?"

He turned his head to the right to notice someone that actually took time out of their day to speak to him. He considered himself invisible in this new school. This school wasn't his old school.

He nodded in silent answer while thinking, what did this guy want with him?

"I need another player. You in?"

He didn't have time to comprehend what was being asked as the guy grabbed ahold of his wrists and dragged him out of the school.

(Break)

"So do you play?"

"Um...you see..."

He played with the ends of his shirt in stress. He couldn't play soccer. He had promised himself.

He couldn't break that vow no matter how hard he wanted to simply override his promise and break it.

"Kazuma! Good to see you. Is this your friend?" A big guy ran over to them he watched as they conversed with one another.

Well, it looked like he was going to be playing some soccer. Noticing he didn't have his cleats but assured himself that he could play in his shoes that they would work.

Yet he was surprised when Kazuma handed him his own cleats.

"They're too small for me. You can wear them." he said as he tied his shoelaces and joined the rest of the team.

Maybe he shouldn't do his best. Soccer brought up those memories. Of his old team. Of the wreck. He legs started to shake.

"It's going to be alright Tsukushi you just have to run. " Kazuma encouraged mistaking his legs shaking as nerves not the trauma of his past.

Nodding his head.

Willing his legs to move.

Willing his whole body to stop shaking.

The feel of his cleats stomping on the grass of the field remembering his last glory days with his team and at the championship.

Although when he focused his thoughts he wasn't with his team he was with Kazuma ready to play a game of soccer with a minor league.

With the sound of the whistle the game started. He wasn't really sure if he should play all out. The memory in the back of his mind wouldn't let him do so so he stumbled quite a lot.

Even as going so far to actually let the ball pass him only to dive head first into the ground.

He could hear them. How he made faults at every turn, but encouraged him to make the moves he wanted.

He smiled at that. Time went by and he still screwed up.

The game ended when Kazuma tried to hit a ball into the goal but rebounded on the poll - running past him and hitting the ball with his forehead seemed like a way to pay him back.

"Tsukushi it was fun playing. Thanks for coming out and filling our last spot. "

He nodded to them.

It felt really great again to be on the field.

He hid his emotions. That's all he could do.

This was the last time he would play.

He'd given it up for his mother. To take care of her.

Her life was more important than his.

A pat on the shoulder revered him out of his inner thoughts.

"You did well considering the situation. So thank you for coming and trying your best. It meant a lot. "

He nodded in response. Fumbling again with the ends of his shirt, "thanks for the game. It was fun. " he replied in honest answer - it was fun for him. He got to play soccer once again.

Kazuma lips twitched in surprise he was fascinated by Tsukushi the way he played soccer was novice at best, but the light-hearted smile he saw reminded Kazuma on why he started playing soccer in the first place. He wanted to see more from Tsukushi.

Each of them parted ways with different thoughts on the other.

The end for now...

Author's Note: So wow this chapter is over 1,000 words long! I'm surprised. Seriously I am. And I'm happy to see this story getting some attention it makes me happy since I seriously think Days is a great anime and there should be more fanfictions out there! Well hope y'all enjoyed and please let me know in a comment below on what y'all thought! Thanks,

Bella4evr3


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